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Seven-time Grammy nominee Eric Church took the stage Nov. 24 at AT&T Stadium to kick off The Salvation Army’s 126th annual Red Kettle Campaign with a live nationally televised halftime performance during the Dallas Cowboys Thanksgiving Day game on FOX against the Washington Redskins.
It marked the 20th performance resulting from the Red Kettle Kickoff partnership between the Dallas Cowboys and The Salvation Army, during which The Salvation Army has raised over $2 billion in red kettles nationwide. Gene and Jerry Jones and family, owners of the Dallas Cowboys, made the inaugural Red Kettle donation.
“Over the last 20 years, we’ve had the opportunity to welcome world-renowned musical acts to our stadium to celebrate the great work of The Salvation Army and kick off the holiday season,” said Charlotte Jones Anderson, executive vice president and chief brand officer for the Dallas Cowboys and former national advisory chairperson for The Salvation Army. “The Salvation Army is a fixture in our family’s life, as well as our team, and we look forward to 20 more years and many more millions raised in the kettles.”
Red Kettle Kickoff is just the beginning of an exciting holiday season for The Salvation Army. New this year, The Salvation Army is calling on Americans to start their own #RedKettleReason fundraisers, as well as offering the opportunity to designate their contributions to programs that fight hunger, provide shelter or ensure Christmas assistance for those in need.
“What the Jones family and the Dallas Cowboys have done over the last 20 years has brought such a bright, creative spark to our Red Kettle Campaign,” said Lt. Col. Ron Busroe, National Community Relations and Development Secretary for The Salvation Army. “We’re excited to see Eric Church’s performance and continue to see our partnership with the Cowboys flourish.”
There are many other ways to get involved this year:
- Cricket Wireless: For every “like” on a participating Chricket Wireless retail store’s Facebook page through Dec. 4, Cricket will donate $1, up to $50,000, that will go toward the purchase of toys for The Salvation Army.
- Dallas Cowboys: Customers will have the option to add a donation to The Salvation Army through the Dallas Cowboys Pro Shop, both in-store and online.
- Dr Pepper Snapple Group: Between Nov. 1 and Dec. 31, the company will donate a portion of sales to The Salvation Army for every specially marked 7UP, CANADA DRY and SQUIRT 2-liter bottle, 20 oz. bottle and 12-pack sold.
- Hanes: As part of its annual sock drive, Hanes is donating 200,000 pairs of socks to The Salvation Army. Over the last eight years, the company has donated more than 1.5 million pairs of socks to the homeless.
- Krispy Kreme Doughnuts: From Dec. 1-24, participating Krispy Kreme shops in the U.S. and Canada will support the Red Kettle Campaign by encouraging guests to donate to an in-shop Red Kettle. Krispy Kreme Doughnuts will also donate a percentage of sales from Dec. 19 to The Salvation Army.
- sweetFrog premium frozen yogurt: Through Christmas Eve, visitors to participating sweetFrog stores will have the opportunity to donate to The Salvation Army at registers.
- Text-to-Give: For the mobile donor, it’s easy to give any amount by texting the word “KETTLES” to 51555 and replying “YES.”
- UPS: Every time a Wishes Delivered story is shared on social media channels like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter through Dec. 31 UPS will donate $1 to The Salvation Army.
- Volunteer: For more ways to volunteer and give back, visit salvationarmyusa.org to find a local corps.
- Walmart “Fill the Truck” Toy Drive: From Nov. 25 through Dec. 11, participating Walmart stores across the country will collect toys and coats for children this holiday.
Supporters can also donate to the more than 25,000 Red Kettles stationed outside storefronts like Macy’s, JCPenney, Hobby Lobby, Big Lots, Boscov’s, Walgreens, Kroger, Walmart, Sam’s Club, Shopko, Bass Pro Shops and participating Macerich shopping centers.
From its humble beginnings as a program started by a Salvation Army captain in San Francisco in 1891, the Red Kettle Campaign has grown into one of the most recognizable and important charitable campaigns in the United States. It provides toys for kids, coats for the homeless, food for the hungry and countless social service programs year-round. As part of the campaign, more than 25,000 Salvation Army red kettles are stationed outside storefronts across the country.
